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Growing Impatiens
From the time they were discovered in East Africa, impatients have become one of the largest selling annual bedding plant. After 40 years of breeding, Impatients have come a long way with new varieties introducing a rainbow of colors (except blue), single and double flowers and assorted heights. A favorite shade plant, it provides a non-stop floriferous splash of color to any low light area all season long until a killing frost will finally put it to rest.

Impatiens are one of the easier plants to grow. Given the right conditions, they will provide mounds of brightly colored flowers 1-2 ft. tall from spring to fall. They are great in borders, containers, window boxes and hanging baskets.

Care: Primarily considered a shade/ semi-shade plant, newer varieties (Viva) also tolerate sun.
Because it is a heat-loving, tropical plant, it should be planted after all danger of frost has passed or when the soil temperature is 60F.
Plant 6″ to 12″ apart in well-drained, rich organic soil in shade/semi-shade. In the North plant them in full sun and in the Southern states in morning sun. In either climate, Impatients need protection from the hot afternoon sun.
Watering: Impatients like moist but not wet soil in order to grow well. Be sure they get 1″ of water every week and water more often in the heat of summer and if in full sun. If allowed to dry out they will wilt dramatically and sulk dropping its leaves and flowers. Wilting also causes stress and drains energy making them more susceptible to insect or disease damage.
When planting, feed with a slow-release fertilizer or monthly with a balanced fertilizer. Feed more often when container grown or if plants are competing for nutrients such as growning under a tree. Too much fertilizer can cause leggy plants and reduced flowering.

If your Impatients are tall and leggy by mid summer pinch them back to 6 inches and they should regrow as bushier plants.

Propagation: Softwood cutting taken in late winter, early spring. Seeds-sow indoors 10-12 wks before last frost date. Seeds need light and temperatures of 70-75F to germinate cover with plastic to provide humidity. Germination takes 15-20 days.

Troubleshooting:
Root rot- over-watering, poor drainage
INSV Impatiens necrotic spot virus-leaf & stem ring spots that are yellow, white, gray or brown/black.
TSWV Tomato spotted wilt virus – ring spots on foliage transmitted by thrips
Fungal leaf spots-plant stress
Spider mites, thrips, mealybugs and aphids.

Midwest native woodland wildflowers:

The diminshing habitat of woodland wildflowers leaves them in a delicate balance for future survival. Not only is man’s destruction of their habitat a factor, invasive weeds also play a large role in “squeezing out ” wildflowers from their environment. They rob the plants of sunlight, water and nutrients. It is important that we become stewarts of preserving the wildflowers we still have and hopefully, will have in the future.

Rue Anemone Anemonella Thalictroides / Family: Ranunculaceae

Flowering: April to Mid-June.
Habitat: Rich woodlands.
Descritpion: This woodland wildfower grows 4 to 9 inches high. Soft green stem. Compound leaves with 3 rounded, notched leaflets arranged in elevated whorls around single, central flowering stalks. Basal leaves also look more notched than lobed. This species is similar to the False Rue Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum), but differs by having 3 whorled leaves just below the flower.

Collect seeds: June. Cluster of small, green seeds (achenes) at end of branched stalks come off easily when rubbed between fingers. The fruit of A. thalictroides can be distinguished from that of Isopyrum biternatum which bears a small follicle (pod containing several seeds) rather than an achene. Because A. thalictroides flowers over a period of time, both ripe and unripe seeds are likely to be found at the same time. Seed can be picked over several weeks.

Red Trillium Trillium sessile /Family: Liliaceae

Flowering: April to June
Habitat: Moist rich woodland
Descrition: A woodland wildflower which grows 4 to 12 inches high. One large, maroon stalkless flower above a whorl of 3 whorled leaves, that appears closed.
Collect seeds: Early July. One dry berry, angled, up to 1 inch in diameter forms at the end of a stalk in the middle of 3 green sepals. The berry rolls off plant easily when pinched or pushed. Seeds inside are reddish brown and are surrounded by a sticky caruncle. Do not allow to dry out while storing.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema Triphyllum / Family: Araceae

FLOWERING: April – May.
Habitat: Rich moist woodland, wet swamps, or drier areas in high open woods where soil is rich in humus.
Description: 15 – 30 inches high. Perennial. Leaflike hood (spathe) surrounds a central column (spadix). Spathe is green or purplish brown, often striped. Leaves, 1 or 2, long-stalked, 3 parted. This woodland wildflower is dioecious. Females bear fruit.

Collect seeds: Seed timing: Mid-August through September. Shortly after spathe withers a dense cluster of green berries appears. Cluster slowly expands, turns orange, then scarlet red. Often leaves deteriorate before fruit matures so that seed collectors see only a single green stalk supporting the cluster of brilliant red berries which can then be picked. Seed cleaning should be started within a few days of collection while pulp is still soft.

Information on each wildflower includes details on when to pick the seeds. This is intended to guide seed harvesting efforts for restoration, but can also be used in your own yard. Remember to never pick seeds from the wild without permission from the landowner.

The secret to picking out annuals for bigger and better blooms.

The garden centers are loaded with rainbow colors of annual flowers. Growers know that color will sell flowers so they feed their annuals with higher doses of phosphorus and potassium to get early bloom on immature plants. Here are a few tips to help you become a smart shopper.

When picking plants  for your flowers beds, don’t be tempted to buy annuals with showy, blooms, pay closer attention to the foliage. The plant should be healthy and vigorous with thick branching stems, dark green foliage (in most cases) and flower buds just starting to show a bit of color. Avoid plants that are either too compact or too spindly. Stay away from yellowing or browning leaves and foliage with spots or brown edges that can be a sign of stress, disease or pests.

In addition, check the root system which is just as important. I picked out a flat of begonias at a reputable nursery that had great looking foliage but when it was time to plant, I discovered that the roots were over watered and dying. Needless to say, the plants performed poorly. To check the roots, pop the plant out of its cell pack and inspect the roots; do they fill up the container with a solid white mass or growing out of the bottom of the pot? If so, the plant has been heavily rooted and the roots will need to be trimmed. Is the plant difficult to pop out from the container? Does the soil spill out with the roots? If so, they are under developed and need more time to grow. The best proportion is an even mix of cream colored roots and soil.

Don’t be tempted to plant too early. Tender flowers will sit and do nothing if the soil and air temperature are too cold and if a frost hits,  then all will be lost. Soil temperatures should be in the 50’s for safe planting. Warm weather plants such as impatients, tomatoes and peppers should be planted when all danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperature are above 60F. If you can’t plant right away; water and place the container in the suggested light (sun or shade) during the day when temperatures are warm. Bring indoors/garage at night

As difficult as this may sound, remove the flowers at planting time, so the plants can focus their energy on more leaf and root production. Also, pinch back any spindly growth to produce bushier plants (except for asters, arctotis and gazania). You will be rewarded with healthier plants and more flowers all season long.